Contemporary Etiquette & Lifestyle

Hello dear readers! I am constantly in search of glittering inspiration to style our coffee tables and shelves, be it color coding our collection of books or hunting for the perfect glass hurricane. Victory at last! I found some stunning styling images that I think you will truly fancy. Cheers to a wonderful weekend!

A cherished appetizer for pre-dinner nibbles and cocktail parties alike, the cheese plate is a symphony of spectacular flavors and textures – savory and sweet, crunchy and creamy – yum! To help you next time you prepare one of these scrumptious spreads, here are my MBB-approved tips for the perfect cheese plate. Enjoy!

Cheese: Opt for three cheeses (keep in mind you can tailor this to the number of people you’ll be serving), including a blue cheese, hard cheese, and soft cheese, as this will ensure there is something for everyone to enjoy. Blue cheese includes stilton, gorgonzola, and roquefort, so do a taste test to decide which pleases your palate. Hard cheeses to consider include gruyere and sharp cheddar. For soft cheeses, creamy brie and herbed goat cheese are delightful.

Crisps: Adding a little crunch to the mix, include some crisps. You can offer one type of crisp or several, depending upon your preferences. Dotted with dried fruit and nuts, Raincoast Crips are my cracker of choice and in one word, heavenly!

Do you remember that darling movie, “You’ve Got Mail,” with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? One of my all time favorite films! There’s a scene where Meg Ryan is checking-out at the market, and she accidentally steps into the cash only line, however doesn’t have any cash. This of course ruffles the feathers of the cashier, Rose (she gives a real stink eye to miss Meg!). Charming Tom Hanks of course comes to the rescue, and sweetly chats with Rose, convincing her to swipe Meg’s credit card, all while making a clever joke that brings a smile to her face. This little interaction is a beautiful example of how you can attract more bees with honey than with vinegar. In other words, if someone is brash or rude to you, you don’t have to act rude back. Instead, be kind and patient, and more often than not you can diffuse the situation and transform it from negative to positive. Here are three quick tips to keep in mind next time you encounter a prickly person:

Be Patient – Count to five before responding so you can think with a clear rational head instead of from an emotional standpoint.

Maintain composure – Losing your cool will only make the situation worse and you’ll likely be a bit embarrassed later on, so strive to stay calm.

Be kind and polite – Despite someone’s cold or rude behavior – be it a dinner party companion or sales associate – be kind and polite. Even if their behavior doesn’t change, you can walk away knowing you were your best self.